Relevance and meaningfulness: Student perspectives on the highly talented international business professional profile

Authors

  • Petra van Heugten p.a.m.van.heugten@pl.hanze.nl
  • Marjolein Heijne-Penninga Researcher, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Groningen, The Netherlands
  • Patricia Robbe Researcher, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Groningen, The Netherlands
  • Debbie Jaarsma Full Professor Research and Innovation in Medical Education, Center for Educational Development and Research in Health Professions, University Medical Center Groningen and University of Groningen
  • Marca Wolfensberger Professor Talent Development in Higher Education and Society, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Groningen, The Netherlands

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31378/jehc.109

Keywords:

talent competencies, business education, student perception, meaningfulness

Abstract

Competencies deemed relevant and meaningful by international business professionals and implemented in IB education, still do not produce work-ready graduates. This may be because these competencies are not perceived as relevant or meaningful by students. This study was conducted to gain students’ perspectives on the relevance and meaningfulness of the HTIBP talent competency framework, and how they perceived working with it. Results show that the five competency domains of the HTIBP competency framework are perceived as relevant and meaningful by students, in alignment with the professional field, this was not the case for few associated items (behaviours) ‘showing entrepreneurship’ and ‘improving ideas from others’. The lack of clarity of these behaviours resulted in less experienced relevance and meaningfulness by students. Our findings will help educators to better facilitate students to understand the meaning and relevance of competencies. This may help to improve alignment with the professional field.

 

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Published

2020-08-29